Plan to cut down gingko trees in Fukuoka to improve wheelchair access sparks backlash
An ongoing redevelopment project in the city of Fukuoka has sparked outrage among some local residents and calls for the authorities to reconsider their decision to cut down fully grown ginkgo trees along Fukudai-dori avenue, one of the city's main roads. The Nishinippon Shimbun newspaper ...
Kyoto again secures No. 1 spot for best city outside of Tokyo
The former capital retained its spot as the metropolis with the greatest strengths thanks to its allure as a tourism destination, a think tank said.
South Korean sister city of Munakata, Fukuoka, to skip event in Japan amid fraying ties
A South Korean city will not take part in an annual event at a World Heritage site in the Fukuoka Prefecture city of Munakata this year due to deteriorating relations between the neighboring countries, the Munakata government said Wednesday. Gimhae, South Korea, which has sister-city ...
A guide to the 2019 Rugby World Cup and its host cities
What to do, see, drink and eat in each of the RWC cities as well as match dates and information on stadiums, transport and accommodation.
Saga hospital stranded as torrential rain in southwestern Japan leaves three dead, one missing
Torrential rain in southwestern Japan has left three people dead and one missing, while more than 1,900 people were staying at evacuation centers as of Thursday morning. A 96-year-old woman was found dead at a flooded house in Takeo, Saga Prefecture, early Thursday, a day ...
Heavy rains in western Japan trigger evacuation orders for around 847,000 residents
Torrential rain hit southwestern Japan on Wednesday morning, prompting local governments to instruct thousands of people to evacuate as rivers overflowed and at least three people were left dead in what the weather agency called an "unprecedented downpour." In Saga Prefecture, in the Kyushu region, ...
Kitakyushu and Fukuoka to introduce accommodation tax from April
Kitakyushu officials agreed with the Fukuoka Prefectural Government on Friday to set its planned accommodation tax for people staying at hotels in the city at ¥200 per guest per night. The second-biggest city in the prefecture aims to introduce the levy in April. From the ¥200, ...
Data shows Kyushu river pump systems were overwhelmed by 2018 torrential rains
A year after torrential rains hit western Japan, newly disclosed data by the Fukuoka Prefectural Government showed that massive inland flooding of the six tributaries flowing into the Chikugo River in the prefecture occurred because the amount of rain that fell is estimated to ...
Sumo 101: Non-Tokyo tournaments
There are six honbasho (official tournaments) every year. They take place in the odd-numbered months, with half being hosted in Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. The remaining three are the spring tournament in Osaka in March, the July tournament in Nagoya and the November meet in Fukuoka. While ...
Guardian Angels Japan finding less to do in Kitakyushu, one-time city of yakuza 'endless conflict'
Up until five years ago, the city of Kitakyushu had for decades grappled with so many shootings and violent attacks by organized crime groups that it was known as a city of shura (never-ending conflict). But as Japan intensified its crackdown on organized crime, the ...
The upcoming G20 summit will test Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's diplomatic skills, but ultimate success may well depend on the relationship he has nurtured with U.S. President Donald Trump.
A top global finance meeting loses relevance
Ministers mouth the right words, but aren't empowered to solve what ails the global economy.
